Apparatus for severing a moving article



1934- K. w. HALLDEN I APPARATUS SEVERING A MOVING ARTiCLE 3 Sheets-Shet 1 Original Filed April 21, 1923 A'AEl Will/AM HAZLDE/V Nov. 27, 1934. K. w; HALLDEN 1,982,383

APPARATUS FOR SEVERING A oving ARTICLE Original Filed April 21, 1928 3'Sheets-Sheet 2 4 45a 5 w 42 a2 63 n F v v t I O 72 6/ 0 47 Q 5 mm w/u/An AIME as? QW M I NOV. 27, 1934. I w D N 1,982,383

APPARATUS FOR SEVERING, A MOVING ARTICLE Original Filed April 21, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet I:

. Qwvento? (A El W/ZL/AM l/AllDE/V Patented 19:34

v 1,082.38; I I arraanos ron ssvsamo a MOVING vARTICLE Karl William Hailden, Thoniaston, 0011s., as-

signor to Steel and Tubes, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application April 21, 1028, Serial No. 271,715,

now Patent No.

1931, which is 1,836,712, dated December 15, a continuation of application 'Serial No. 197356, June .10, 1927. Divided and this application June 22, 1931, Serial No.

9 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for straightening and severing moving articles. It is particularly concerned with apparatus for operating upon rods, tubes, or relatively heavy wire; straightening the same; cutting it into pieces automatically, of predetermined lengths, and depositing the severed pieces upon a suitable receiving table.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a. straightening and cutting machine in whichis incorporated a flying shear structure and wherein the parts are so constructed and arranged that the shear moves forward during the cutting process at substantially the same rate of speed at which the stock is sent forward. The machine is adapted to operate upon the stock that is introduced therein constantly and continuously, and at' substantially the same rate of speed at all times, the rate of movement of the flying shear and the downward cut of the shear gauge being synchronized directly and controlled by the same drive means that effects the speed of the stock through the straightening device associated therewith. It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus which is capable of straightening and subsequently severing a moving article into pieces of substantially the same predetermined length; which exerts little or no material impediment to the movement of the moving article; which performs the severing operationwithout materially upsetting the article at the point of severance; which is mechanical in operation; which requires little or no hand labor or attention when in operation; which is simple to construct and positive in operation; which is adaptable to operate on articles traveling at practically any speed within the present commercial range of speed in the various fields of manufacture in which it is useful; and which is adaptable to first straighten and then sever articles moving at substantially any set speed into pieces having a minimum length of less than about a foot and an unlimited maximum length, and to sever such an article into pieces of substantially uniform length.

My invention also contemplates certain new and useful devices for use with or as part of severing devices embodyingv my invention, including mechanisms for tripping the cutoff, for actuating and stopping the cutoff means; for accurately measuring the pieces to be severed from an article; and for minimizing the shock or stresses incident to the stopping of the reciprocating members.

This application is a division of my applica tion Serial No. 271,715, flied April 21, 1928 on Apparatus for severing a moving article, which is a continuing application of Serial No. 197,856, filed June 10, 1927 on Straightening and cutting off machines.-

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification;

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away embodying the straightening and flying shear constituting my invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevation taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an end elevation taken on ,line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged perspec- -,tive view of the cutoff mechanism and such associatedparts of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view partly in section of the clutch mechanism;

Figures 7.and 8 are enlarged perspective views, partly in section, of certain other parts of the clutch;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken through the cutoff mechanism and showing the shaft for actuating such mechanism; and

Fig. 10 is aperspective fragmentary view of the mechanism for storing and operatively discharging articles severed by the' cutoff mechanism and including parts of the tripping mechan sm;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 11-11 of Figure 2.

For convenience and description, I have elected to consider the device illustrated herein from the viewpoint 01' an observer looking toward the apparatus in the direction of approach to it by the moving article to be severed; and accordingly will hereinafter refer to the portion of the apparatus toward the oncoming article as being the forward end of the apparatus and where the severed articles are collected as the rear end of the apparatus. Further, in order to simplify .the description of the drawings I have elected to segregate various parts of the mechanism and. will refer to these parts by reference characters A, B,- C, D, E and F.

A designates the' base which carries the part B including the preliminary article feed and straightening mechanism having a fixed longitudinal axis, the part C which designates a rotary finish-straightening mechanism, the part D includes the feed roll stand for delivering the moving article to the severing device, the part E for severing the moving article, the part F which comp ises the mechanism for receiving the severed rticle.

It will be understood that the invention herein claimed is primarily directed to the combination of the'parts B and C with the parts D, E and F, the latter part being specifically claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 271,715, filed April 21, 1928 of which this application is a division.

The base A is intended primarily as a support for the parts B, C, D and E and may consist of a hollow casting 1 suitably formed to support these parts and, if desired, to carry the driving motor 11 and power line or shaft 12 for actuating any one or all of these parts, 3.0, D and E.

The part B comprises a suitable housing 13 having mounted thereon a plurality of rotatable suitably grooved rolls 14, certain of which may be adjusted with respect to the others to permit the application of any desired degree of bending force on a moving article passing betweeen these rolls. By. passing metallic articles between these rolls, kinks and bends are largely removed therefrom as is well known in the art. These rolls 14, as illustrated, are driven by the motor 11 through gear 15, gear 16 meshing therewith and keyed on the shaft 12, bevel gears 17 on shaft 12 and 18 on the spindle 19 respectively, and gears associated with the rolls 14.

The part C comprises a cylindrical housing 21 rotatably mounted in journals disposed at the forward end of the housing 13 at 8, and at the rear end in a member of part D as at 8'. This cylindrical member 21 is provided with a plurality of transversely adjustable, suitably grooved wire engaging dies 22 located in the opening 23 of the member 21. The member 21 may be rotated by any satisfactory means, such for example, as pinion gear 24 keyed thereto at its forward end and meshing with drive gear 24a keyed on the drive shaft 12. A metallic wire passing through the member 21 and engaging with the spaced dies 22 therein which are preferably slightly staggered or out of true alignment lengthwise of member 21 will be substantially freed from slight kinks and bends and will issue from the rear end of the member 21 in a substantially straight condition.

The part D comprises one or more sets, in this case two sets, of feed or pinch rolls 25. rotatably and adjustably mounted in a suitable supporting member 26 driven by gear 27 connected thereto and meshing with a gear 28 carried by the main shaft of the cutoff device of part E which is driven through bevel gears 30 and 30', the latter being keyed to shaft 12. The function of these rolls is to feed an article to be severed through the cutoil mechanism part E.

The cutoff mechanism part E (Figs. 1, 2 and 5 to 10, inclusive) may be described as follows:

A suitable supporting base 31 attached to the base 1 carries a single revolution rotatable shaft 32 having a fixed longitudinal axis. This shaft has keyed thereto at one end a brake drum 33 about which a brake band 34 is adjustably secured. The shaft 32 carries at its other end a clutch housing 36 having keyed thereto the gear 28 and the bevel gear-30 meshing with the bevel pinion 30' keyed on the main drive shaft 12. The gear 28 meshing with the gear 27 drives the feed rolls 25.

Intermediate the bearings 39 of the shaft 32 is disposed a reciprocable carriage 40 having two spaced parallel legs 40' slidably engaging the base 31 and retained on the base by slide strips 41. The legs .40 carry an upright body 42 provided with an opening 43 through which the moving wire to be severed may be passed and constituting the lower or vertically stationary blade of a shear. The upper or vertically movable blade 44 of such shear is disposed in the body 42 of the carriage to slide in a substantially. vertical plane. As shown herein, the body 42 is cut away to receive the blade 44 and has a plate 45a (Figure 5) secured thereto to retain the blade 44 in its recess in the body 42 and to guide the blade 44 in its reciprocative movement.

The carriage 40 is provided on opposite sides of the shaft 32 and between legs 40' with cam rollers 45 disposed to engage with a heart-shaped cam 46 keyed to the shaft. Eccentrics 4'7 are keyed to the shaft on either side of the carriage 40, and each one is provided with an eccentric strap 48 extending in the form of a connecting rod secured at its upper end pivotally to an extension 49 of the reciprocating blade 44.

A clutch of the positive roll-locking type includes the clutch housing 36 previously mentioned carrying an annulus 49 secured to its interior periphery; a disc 50 keyed to the shaft 32 and concentrically disposed within the annulus and provided on its edge with a plurality of notches 51, to receive the clutch rollers; and a basket 52 carrying a plurality of rollers 53 disposed between the annulus 49 and the disc 50, which rollers are positioned in the notches 51. A cap 54 for the basket is secured to the outer end of the shaft 32 and adjustably positioned with relation to the shaft by means of a dowel pin 57 which may be located in any one of several dowel pin recesses 56 in the end of the shaft 32. This cap is also provided with an opening 55 to receive the end of a coil spring 58 surrounding the shaft 32 and extending at its lower end to a suitable opening 59 in the side wall of the basket.

The function of the adjustable cap is to regulate the tension of the spring. 58 on the basket 52.

The carriage 40 extends rearwardly as at 60 and is faced off at 61 at an angle to engage with a roller 72 carried by the part F.

Part F (see Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 10 inclusive), comprises a plurality of upright standards 62 suitably mounted'on a slotted floor plate and spaced apart from but preferably secured to each other by means including a rod 63. If desired, one or more members 64 may be supported intermediate the standards 62. The standards and intermediate members are shaped as at 65 to receive and store pieces out from the moving wire and may be unloaded onto a truck or the like by rotation of a shaft 66 carried by the standards 62 through a hand lever 67 keyed thereto; a plurality of fingers 68 also secured to'shaft 66 and normally disposed in an upright position retain part E. These arms 69 are retained in the position shown in Figs. 10 and 2 by the springs '70 but are movable downwardly against these springs 1,osa,saa

40 move 'rearwardly, surface 61 engages the roller 72 and ereby rotates rod 63 and moves the part 73 of the trough downwardly which is carried on the arm 69, thus permitting the wire to be pushed downwardly by blade 44 without bending and to fall onto the inclinedsurfaces 65, standards 62 and intermediate members 64 when severed.

The remaining portion of the trough is formed by a side 74 normally resting upon the movable trough part 73 and carried by the standards 62, The standards also carry a rod75 rotatable therein and provided with an adjustable'wire engaging member 76 normally disposed in the trough in the path of the .oncoming wire to be severed and having a cam like portion engaged bythe wire. This rod 75 has secured thereto, at its rear end, a latch 77 engaging behind one end of a lever 78 pivoted to the rear standard 62 and carrying at its other end a rod 79 slidable in suitable guides and extending to the forward end of the part E where it is attached to a member in the form of a bracket 80 which is pivoted to the base 10 as at in operative relation to the clutch basket 52. The latch is held in locking position by a spring 81 and the bracket and rod 79 are urged in a forward direction by a spring 82. The member '76 is slidably adjustable on the rod '75 for any desired length of piece to be severed from the moving wire and serves when engaged by the end of the oncoming wire in the trough to rotate the rod '75 and lift the latch 77, thus permitting the spring 82 to move the bracket 80 forwardly about its pivot.

The operation of the apparatus described hereinabove may be briefly summarized as follows:

Continuously moving wire to be severed into pieces of substantially uniform length are passed between the rotating rolls, part B, where the larger kinks and bends are smoothed out and then through the rotating member 21 of part 0, where the smaller kinks and bends are removed and then passes therefrom between the feed rollers 25 of part D and through the opening 43 in carriage 40, thence along the trough in which it engages with and lifts the length determining member 76 which is normally disposed in the trough in the path of the advancing wire and is raised or lowered thereby. As this member is lifted by the wire, rod 75 is rotated whereby the latch 7'1 releases the lever 78 and rod 79 and allows the spring 82 to turn the bracket 80 about its pivot, thus permitting the spring 58 to rotate the basket 52 and operativelyconnect the annulus 49 and the disc 50. The shaft 32 is thereupon rotated, with a coincident movement of the carriage 40 rearwardly at the speed of the moving wire. The shaft 32 simultaneously rotates the eccentrics 47 and moves the blade 44 of the shear downwardly in the carriage 40, the blade severing the wire in the first-quarter revolution of the shaft 32 and being returned out of the path of the oncoming wire during the next quarter of the revolution of the shaft. when the shaft 32 has completed its first half revolution, the carriage 40 is stopped and during the next halfrevolution it is returned forwardly to its starting point. After the wire has been severed, the faced-oil surface 61 of extension 60 of the carriage 40 opens the trough and discharges the cut pieces of wire on the included surfaces of the standards and the spring 81 closes the trough when the extension 60 moves forwardly.

It will be noted that the carriage 40 moves with and at the same speed of the wire during the severing operation, thereby insuring that V the severed end of the wire will not be upset in the severing operation which is a feature of great commercial value, particularly in connection with automatic screw machines and the like where a variation in diameter of the severed end of the wire is not permissible.

It will be further noted that the actual severing operation is completed in the first-quarter revolution of the shaft 32 and that the blade is retracted from the path of the oncoming wire at the end of the first half revolution of the shaft. This is a feature of great commercial importance because it enables pieces-of shorter length or articles moving at a higher speed to be severed, or a speed of the rotation of the shaft 32 to be less than is possible with a moving blade where the full rotation of the shaft is required to bring the moving blade through'and retract it from the path of the moving article. Also that the moving blade is travelling at its maximum speed toward the article at the time it strikes the article. It will also be noted that the blade 44 travels in a substantially elliptical orbit which has its major axis in a horizontal plane.

Although I have described my invention herein with particular reference to wire cutting apparatus, I have done so merely for the purpose of clearly disclosing my invention and not with the intention that my invention shall be limited to the particular details or construction of the apparatus so set forth. The scope of my invention is disclosed in what is claimed.

. 1 2. In combination, a straightening device 20 adapted to operate upon a moving article, apparatus for severing said moving article into predetermined lengths comprising a movable carriage means, a cutter operatively mounted on said carriage means, a shaft rotatable to effect operative movement on the part of the cutter and carriage, a trough adapted to receive material moving from said cutter, clutch means for causing rotation of the shaft, including a spring for J bringing the clutch into clutching position and trip means consisting of a member which extends into said, trough and engages the moving material to release the said spring.

3. In combination, a straightening device adapted to operate upon a moving article, including a rotary member, a shearing apparatus comprising a shaft, a cutter element operatively connected to the shaft and operative in cycles of reciprocatory movement, the operative connections between the cutter and shaft being effective to cause a complete cycle of operation of the cutter upon one revolution of the shaft, a carriage on which the cutter element is mounted, and movable longitudinally with reciprocatory movement, and cam means on the shaft for causing a complete forward and backward movement of the carriage to bring the latter into its initial starting place upon one revolution. of the shaft.

4. In combination, a straightening device for operating upon a moving article, a shearing apparatus comprising a carriage, a supporting member for material to be cut, drive means tor causing reciprocatory movement on the part of the carriage, a cutter element on said carriage, and operative connection between the carriage and the supporting member for causing withdrawal of the latter from supporting position incident to a cutting operation on the part 01 the cutting element.

5. In combination, a straightening device adapted to operate upon a moving length of material, a shearing device including a cutter reciprocally mounted on sliding supports, a trough rotatably mounted in spaced relation with respect to said sliding supports, means for rotating said trough for discharging a severed article therefrom and means for feeding material to said cutter.

6. In combination, a straightening device adapted to operate upon a moving article, an apparatus for severing a moving article including a cutting element, grooved material supporting means and trip mechanism associated with the material supporting means and adapted to be operated by movement of material over the material supporting means to retain eirective the cutting element and through the latter to cause discharge 01 cut material from the supporting means. 7

7. In a machine for working on a moving article, the combination 0! means for straightening an article including a plurality of rolls, and a shearing device including a carriage, a cutter carried by said carriage, a trough adapted to receive material moving from said cutter, drive means independent or said moving article for imparting movement to said carriage, a clutch mechanism for controlling said drive means, and means located in said trough in a position to be actuated by the moving article for operating said clutch means.

8. In a machineior working on a moving article, the combination of means for straightening an article including a plurality of rolls, a rotary member and a shearing device including a cutter adapted to move with the article in the direction of its travel, drive means independent of said moving article for moving said shearing device, means actuated by said moving article for effecting the operation of said drive means, and a trough adapted to receive material moving from said cutter, said means for efifecting operation of the drive means being associatedwith said trough.

9. In a machine for working on a moving article the combination of means for straightening an article including a plurality of rolls, a rotary member, and a shearing device including a cutter adapted to move with the article in the direction of its travel, drive means independent of said moving article for moving said shearing device, means actuated by said moving article for effecting the operation of said drive means, a trough adapted to receive material moving from said cutter and means for rotating the trough to discharge the severed article therefrom.

KARL WILLIAM HALIDEN. 

